This Application claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 091210829 entitled xe2x80x9cScanning Apparatus and Locking Device of Scanning Apparatusxe2x80x9d, filed Jul. 16, 2002.
The present invention relates to a locking apparatus for switching between a lock state and unlock state of a sliding device, and more particularly, to a locking apparatus of a scanning apparatus.
Image processing is important to the storage, management, access, and execution of information. The most used image-catching devices are scanners, which are necessary facilities for scanning pictures, texts, and photos and saving them as graphic files.
Among the inner components of an optical scanner, the carriage is the most important component. The carriage includes many delicate and expensive optical components and can be easily damaged by impacts and shocks. However, when moving the scanner, users usually neglect to prevent the carriage from damage.
In order to avoid damaging the scanner during transportation, a carriage-fixing device has been used to fix the carriage. Before moving the scanner, users have to push or rotate such conventional carriage-fixing device to lock the carriage.
A scanner with this kind of scanning module locking device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,866, including a housing 12, a scanning module 14, and a locking device 16, as shown in FIG. 1. The locking device 16 includes a protruding member 20, a C-shaped shaft sink 22, an elastic bottom 24, a recess 26, a blocking member 28, and a sliding member 30. The blocking member 28 includes a shaft 32, and a hook 34. The sliding member 30 includes a sliding panel 40 and an elastic arm 44.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the scanning module 14 is positioned at a predetermined position of the housing 12, the sliding member 30 is moved to a locking position. Meanwhile, the elastic arm 44 rotates the blocking member 28 to engage the hook 34 and the C-shaped shaft sink 22. The scanning module 14 is then locked in the scanner. As shown in FIG. 3, when intending to use the scanner, a user moves the sliding member 30 of the sliding panel 40 from a locking position to another position. When the sliding member 30 is moved from the locking position, the elastic arm 44 reversely rotates the blocking member 28 and so the hook 34 separates from the protruding member 20. Then the scanning module 14 is free to horizontally move in the scanner to proceed with the scanning steps.
Although the locking apparatus 16 can lock the scanning module 14, users may still neglect the actuation of the locking apparatus 16 when moving the scanner and accidentally cause damages. Furthermore, the user may forget to unlock the locking apparatus 16 so as to prevent the scanner from working.
Therefore, there exists a need for a locking apparatus without specific actuation steps, to avoid the damage and inconvenience mentioned above.
In view of the disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention provides a locking apparatus for switching between a lock state and an unlock state of a sliding device in a system. The system has a plug and a socket. The sliding device has a shaft.
The present invention includes a sliding member, a spring, a hook, and a connecting member. The sliding member is movably disposed within the socket and is coupled to the spring. The hook has an end part and a bending portion for locking the shaft. The connecting member is respectively coupled to the sliding member and the end part of the hook. As the plug is plugged into the socket, the locking apparatus unlocks the shaft. As the plug is pulled out from the socket, the locking apparatus locks the shaft.